Apparatus for manufacturing nuts



Dec. 19, 1944. f L, A, vow 2,365,321

APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING NUTS Original File d May 3, 1940 INVENTOR.

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"gi jgm Patented Dec. 19, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Leonard A. Young, Detroit, Mich.

Application May 3, 1940, Serial No. 333,191, new Patent No. 2,278,962, dated-April 7, 1942, which. is a division of application Serial No. 427,089, January 17, 1942. Divided and this application August 11, 1943, Serial No. 498,200

5 Claims. (Cl. --76) The present invention relates to a threaded nut or the like andto an apparatus for manufacturing the same. The present application is a division of my co-pending application Serial No. 427,089 filed January' l7, 1942, which application is a division of my application Serial No. 333,191 filed May 3, 1940 (issued as Patent No. 2,278,962, April 7, 1942).

One of the objects ofthe present invention is. to provide an apparatus for manufacturing a threaded nut or the like in which the threads and the body contours of the nut or the like are formed simultaneously in a single upsetting operation.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved apparatus for manufacturing or forming a threaded nut or the like which is particularly characterized by'an economical use of the material and the elimination of a large amount of scrap'material, the novel apparatus being further characterized in that much labor and material handling, as well'as numerous sepa-' rate machine operations, are eliminated.

The present application is related tothe disclosures in Patent No. 2,199,007 on jointed nut and method of making same, filed in the name'of John M. Oldham and assigned to me, and to my prior Patent No. 2,201,806 entitled "Method of uniting metal surfaces.

b The present invention is particularl but not exclusively applicableto the formation of threadednuts from relatively soft metal such, for example, as copper, lead, brass, aluminum and the like, or the soft "alloys of such metals or other. metals, These metals are characterized in that they aremore readily'deformable under pressure than are some other materials, such for example, as the ferrous metals. It istobe understood, however, that the invention is not limited strictly to the use of such materials as it is within the purview of the present invention to use any metal which is deformable under pressure and from which it may be desired to form a threaded nut.

The foregoing ando ther objects and advang tages of the present invention willv appear in the following description andappended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views.

In said drawing:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a flat blank which may be used in an initial .sta'geofthe method herein disclosed; r r

Fig. 2 is a view in perspective of the blank shown in Fig. 1 foldedupon itself and joined to provide a hollow substantially cylindrical blank; Fig. 3 is avi'ew in perspective of a completed machine nut embodying the present invention; Fig. 4 is a section takensubstantially on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary section with parts broken away'showing an upsetting die and a formed nut atthe completion of the upsetting operation;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary section showing the upsetting die and a portion ofthe press, the parts of the die being shown in their relative posi tions after completion of the upsetting operation and ejection of the nut from thedie, the parts being shown in their relativepositions preparatory to receiving another. blank;

Fig. 715 a fragmentary view partially in section showing the upsetting die and the mechanism for controlling actuation of the thread-forming mandrel; and v Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view illustrating a control circuit which may be used in accordance with the present invention to control actuation of the thread-forming mandrel.

Before explaining in detail the present invention it is to beunderstood that the-invention is not limited in its application to'the detailsof construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in'the'ac'compariying drawing, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of'being" practiced orcarried'out in various ways. .Also it is'to be understood that the phraseology or terminology'employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

Referring to the drawing, and particularly to Fig. 1, there is'shown a blank [0 which may be formed of any desired metallic material and may be formed either by a slitting operation on flat metal stock or by cutting a flattened piece of wire, rod or bar stock. The slitting of the stock is so carriedout as to provide an extending tongue II and a mating-groove l2 on opposite ends of the blank l0. I

As shown in Fig. 2,-the blank l0 is'folded upon itself to form a'hollow substantially cylindrical blank in which the tongue II is receivedin the setting operation to form the completed nut' which, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, may comprise a. body portion 14 having a predetermined exterior contour which may behexagonal, rectangular,

The cylindrical.

square, etc., and a threaded interior I5 which, as shown in Fig. 4, is of a slightly larger diameter adjacent one end of the nut than it is adjacent the other end thereof. This construction. provides a centrally disposed tapered annulus which tapers in a preferred embodiment of the invention to the extent of approximately .002 to .003 of an inch per one-half .inch of length of the tapered opening.

The body portion M of the nut is provided with annular depending flanges I6 which are preferably provided adjacent the end of the threaded opening l5 which has the greatest diameter. The

flanges l6 when so disposed form a ready means of identifying the end of the nut where the threaded opening has the greatest diameter and also indicate the end of the nut which is to be first brought into engagement with a threaded bolt or stud to which the nut is intended to be attached. By this construction a nut is provided which may be readily threaded on the extending end of a threaded bolt, stud, or the like, and due to the tapered threaded opening in the nut there is a wedging action on the threads of the threaded bolt or stud which assists in holding the nut on such bolt or stud. This action is further a'ccen- 'tuated when the flanges I6 are brought in contact with a surface adjacent an end of the threaded bolt or stud since the flanges preferably are V-shaped in cross section and have a sharp edge portion which will bite into such surface when the nut is securely screwed onto the screwthreaded bolt or stud. j

As shown in Fig. 3, in the completed nut the mating tongue H and the groove I2 are so deformed that the parts are interlocked and this provides a jointed body portion on the nut which, however, is securelylocked in such a manner that the ends will not readily become separated.

In forming a nut embodying the present invention, or in forming nuts similar to those disclosed in said Oldham Patent No. 2,199,007 and in my prior Patent No. 2,201,806, anapparatus is employed which includes an upsetting die such, for example, as that shown in Figs.5, 6 and '7 of the present drawing. As shown, the upsetting die comprises an anvil 2|! having a tapered threaded mandrel 21 formed on the end thereof. A female upsetting or coining die 22, having a knockout plug 23 thereon, is so positioned and formed relative to said anvil that it surrounds th anvil in predetermined spaced relation thereto.

A retaining ring 24 is provided adjacent the bedplate of the machine and acts to support the female die 22 and prevent the breakage of said die due to the pressure created therein by the upsetting operation. The female die 22 is secured to a suitable press 25 for reciprocal movement in a substantially vertical plane relative to the anvil 20. The anvil 2B and the mandrel 2| are mounted for movement in a spiral path which has substantially the same pitch as the threads on the tapered threaded mandrel 2|. The movement of the anvil 20 in the embodiment here shown is caused by a reversing electric motor 26 which drivesa gear 21 which mates with a worm gear 28 preferably formed on the end of the anvil 20 opposite the tapered mandrel 2 The motor 26 is controlled by a switch 29 actu-' ated by a switch lever 30 which is connected with a switch lever connecting rod 3| andan auxiliary switch lever 32. Upon operation of the die 22 the lever 30 is moved to actuate the switch 29 by the annular shoulder 33 on the ram 34 of the press 25 and is moved synchronously with the movement of the female die 22. The lever 32 is connected through the rod 3| with the lever 30 and is moved to actuate the switch by the shoulder 35 which is provided on the anvil 20. When the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 6, the anvil 20 has been driven in its upward spiral path to a position where the shoulder 35 contacts the lever 32 and moves it to stop the motor 26.

After the completion of the upsetting operation and when the parts of the die have moved into the position shown in Fig. 7, the ram 34 has been moved to actuate the lever 3| which starts the motor 26 which causes movement of the anvil 20 and the mandrel 2| in a descending spiral path. This causes the mandrel 2| to be unscrewed from the formed nut i4. When this movement of the anvil has been completed, the female die 22 is then moved upwardly and carries the nut with it until the knockout plug 23 is actuated and the nut is ejected from-the female die 22. When the parts have been moved so as to bring the knockout plug into operation, the lever '30 has been carried into position where the motor 26 is reversed and the anvil 2D and mandrel 2| have been driven in an ascending spiral path to the position shown in Fig. 6. At the completion of this upward movement of the anvil 20, the shoulder 35 actuates the lever 32 and shuts off the motor 26.

In Fig. 8 there is shown a diagrammatic view of the electrical circuit which may be employed to actuate the motor from the lever 30 which actuates the switch 29 as above described. It is to be understood, however, that other types of control mechanisms or actuating devices may be employed, if desired, instead of the electric motor and controlling switches here shown. For

' thread-forming mandreland anvil 20 may be stationary, if desired, and the female upsetting die 22 may be rotated as it is moved away from the anvil and thus free the nut from the threads on the mandrel. 1

In carrying out the present invention the thread-forming mandrel 2| carried by the anvil 20 is preferably formed of some metal harder than the metal used in forming the blank ID which is deformed by the upsetting operation. For example, an oil impregnated type of bearing metal may be used in forming the mandrel 2| for use on certain types of metals, while harder metal ma be used in other instances. The pitch and lead of the threads on the Worm gear 28 should be such that the mandrel 2| and the anvil 2|] are rotated and moved in a descending spiral path at the same rate that the thread-forming portion of the mandrel 2| is unscrewed from the threads in the formed nut l4.

It will be seen in carrying out the present inven'tion that the threads thus formed on the interior of the nut are formed at the same time that the exterior portion of the nut is formed and that the threads are pressed into a workhardened surface portion of the metal blank forming the nut since the walls of the annular opening of the blank I B are formed of the surface material adjacent one surface of the fiat blank. As is known, this work-hardened metal is generally denser than is some interior portion of pressure, the metal has taken ,a permanent set and has become further work hardened so that the threads have the appearance of a coined metal surface. In this way a much smoother and more durable thread may be formed than where it is necessary to perform a, further threadcutting operation on the pressed metal nut.

In addition to eliminating waste of material due to the cutting of the threads, it will also be seen that the present invention provides a novel apparatus for forming the threads simultaneously with the forming of the nut itself and thus eliminate separate material handling and machining of the nut.

1 claim:

1. Apparatus for manufacturing a threaded.

nut from a hollow metallic blank by subjecting said blank to pressures, said apparatus comprising an upsetting die, an anvil disposed below said die, a threaded frusto-conical mandrel integral with said anvil, means for effecting relative longitudinal movement of the die and anvil toward and away from one another to position said threaded mandrel within said upsetting die whereby to subject the nut blank to pressures of sufficient magnitude to causethe metal thereof to flow and conform to the contour of said upsetting die to thread said blank, and mechanical means for moving said anvil in'a descending spiral path to unthread the mandrel from the formed nut, l r

2. Apparatus for manufacturing a threaded nut from a hollow metallic blank by subjecting said blank to pressures, said apparatus comprising an upsetting die, an anvil disposed below said die, a threaded mandrel carried by said anvil, means for effecting relative longitudinal spiral path to unthread the mandrel from the formed nut, and means for causing said knockout plug to eject the formed nut.

3. Apparatus for manufacturing a threaded nut from a hollow metallic blank by subjecting said blank to pressures, said apparatus comprising an upsetting die, an anvil disposed below said die, a threaded mandrel carried by said anvil, means for effecting relative longitudinal movement of the die and anvil toward and away from one another to position said threaded mandrel within said upsetting die whereby to subject the nut blank to pressures of suflicient magnitude to cause the metal thereof to flow and conform to the contour of said upsetting die to thread said blank, means for removing said threaded mandrel from the formed nut, and means for ejecting said formed nut from the upsetting die.

4. An apparatus for manufacturing an internally threaded metallic article from a metal blank by subjecting said blank to pressures sufficient to cause the metal thereof to cold flow, said apparatus comprising an upsetting die, an anvil disposed below said die, a frusto-conical threaded mandrel carried by said anvil and having its apex portion located in the direction of said upsetting die, means for effecting relative longitudinal movement of the die and anvil relative to each' other, means for positioning the threaded mandrel within said upsetting die and means for moving said anvil in a spiral path to unthread the'mandrel from the formed object prior to removal of the object from the upsetting die.

5. An apparatus for manufacturing a metal lock nut having a. frusto-conical work-hardened threaded interior and comprising an upsetting die, an anvil disposed below said die, a threaded frusto-conical mandrel integral with said anvil,.

power driven means for moving said anvil and mandrel in a spiral path for positioning the mandrel inside a metallic blank prior to the formation of said lock nut and for withdrawing said threaded mandrel therefrom after formation of the lock nut and before ejection thereof, and means for moving said die and anvil longitudinally with relation to each other and to exert pressures on said blank of suiiicient magnitude to cause the metal thereof to flow and conform to the contour of'said upsetting die and to the threaded portion of said mandrel.

LEONARD A. YOUNG. 

